Searching
by Jay-La52
Summary: Takes place during Bridesmaids Revisited, Rory's drunk at the bar after her breakup with Logan and, instead of Doyle, guess who comes up to her...Lit, eventually.
1. The Bar Scene

Summary: Takes place during Bridesmaids Revisited. Rory's drunk at the bar after her break up with Logan and instead of Doyle, guess who comes up to her…Lit, eventually.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, feel free to search me for conformation.

Searching

The guys had forced him out tonight, against his will, of course. They were here promoting another flop and they'd insisted that he "had some fun".

Well, he had yet to have fun, granted, it was easier to talk to them drunk rather than sober but after the first ten minutes Chris had thrown up and Matt had started yammering on about a bar of their own to add onto Truncheon. Yep, on second thought, this was great fun.

Then he saw her, he recognised her slumped figure, her hair, her eyes as she glared at a waitress, though they were slightly hazy from consumption of alcohol. And somehow, his legs carried him to her, he doubted the guys would even notice his absence.

She caught his gaze as he walked over, her cloudy eyes filled with recognition and she offered a surprised smile.

"Oh! Jess, you're here…" she slurred casually, stumbling as she tried to get off the bar stool, causing Jess to have to catch her before she fell to the ground. She recoiled at the contact.

"I'm fine, I can walk perfectly- oh look at that, it's harder than I thought…" she trailed off as she stumbled and he caught her again.

"Come on." He said, guiding her out.

"But I didn't get to finish my-" she began, reaching back out to the bar.

"It's okay, just keep on moving."

"Hehe, this is fun, kind of like a three legged race without our legs being tied together, but then it wouldn't really be a- ow!" she yelped, tripping over someone's bag.

"You okay?" Jess asked, bending down to pull her back up.

"Yeah, but they shouldn't leave their bag on the- you shouldn't leave your bag on the floor!" she yelled back at the person.

"Don't mind her." He said to the guy who was now looking a bit shocked, "Come on, Rory, we need to get you home."

"I don't think I have a home." She stated, sullenly.

"What about Hartford?"

"No, back at Yale now, but Paris kicked me out of our apartment, moved in with Logan, but he cheated on me-"

"He did what?" Jess asked, abandoning his calm, serene attitude for the first time since he'd seen her that evening.

"-with a Bridal party-"

"Unbelievable!"

"And so I guess I have to move out of there." She said, uncertainly.

"Okay, you're coming with me."

"Where?"

"To the hotel."

"Ooh, the hotel…" she said, giggling.

"Rory…"

"Fine, I'll be a good girl." She said, still giggling.

"I'll take the couch, you can have the bed."

"Uhuh, and Jess?" She asked, suddenly serious.

"Yep?"

"Can I use the bathroom when we get in?" She asked, feeling steadily more nauseous.

He sighed, "Sure thing." He said, while signalling for a cab.


	2. Dealing With Logan

A/n: Thanks for all the reviews! I had a passing idea while I was watching Bridesmaids Revisited, but it didn't pass, it stopped and this is the result. Sorry about the short updates each time, but I try to update fast to make up for it.

Summary: Takes place during Bridesmaids Revisited. Rory's drunk at the bar after her break up with Logan and instead of Doyle, guess who comes up to her…Lit, eventually.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, the fact that Logan didn't die when he fell off the cliff and that Rory ran away after kissing Jess at the bookstore prove that!

Chapter 2

Jess awoke to the shrill ringing of Rory's phone. He looked over to see Rory glaring with her fingers in her ears.

"Make it stop!" she whined.

"You now, you could just answer it."

"It's Logan, I can't talk to him especially with the hangover of the century."

Fine, I'll just amputate my ears."

"Mine first, please."

The ringing stops at long last.

"Thank God!"

"Don't talk so loud." Rory groaned.

The phone started to ring again.

Rory let out a shriek of frustration, "You jinxed it!" she said before burying her head under the pillow.

Jess rolled his eyes and, after a long pause, he reluctantly picked up the phone and flipped it open.

"Morning, sunshine." He said, dryly.

"Who the hell is this?"

"What is it to you?"

"Sorry, just wondering why this charming guy is answering me girlfriend's phone at 8 in the morning."

"Girlfriend?"

"You heard right." Logan replied, smirking smugly.

"I know you're not the sharpest tool in the shed, but your memory can't be that bad."

"Ah! Book Boy, I recognise the James Dean attitude. Have you sold 1, maybe 2 copies yet?"

"Yep, maybe even a few more than that."

"Wow, congratulations." Logan drawled, sarcastically.

"The plaque comes on Tuesday."

"Ooh, there's that sarcasm again, just can't get enough of that."

"Blondey, can we speed this up? I've got places to be."

"He says so toughly. Should I be scared."

"Only of hung over Rory, who is starting to get annoyed by the fact that you won't give her phone a rest."

"Don't tell me what to do, you don't even know Rory!"

Jess snorted, "Oops, did I strike a chord?"

"Just pass me to Rory."

"Sorry, can't do that and, as lovely as this conversation was, I have to go now." He said, closing the phone.

Rory shot him an appreciative smile before taking refuge under the pillow again as the phone started to ring again.

"Allow me." Jess said, opening the phone and turning it off."

"Thanks." Rory hesitated before adding, "For that and taking me in last night, I was a huge mess back there.

"Really? I couldn't tell." Jess replied, earning a pillow in the face.

"So, what are you doing in New Haven?"

"Just promoting a new book, it's no Hemmingway, but its okay."

"You came to see me."

"I also still have to go around persuading stores to sell my book."

"You came to see me."

"Plus the guys kept attempting to get me out of the shop, so I figured I could kill three birds with one stone."

"You came to see me." She said, happily.

ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"You have nothing unhealthy!"

"I think I have a stick of gum somewhere."

"You're a freak!"

"Huh."

"Monosyllabic man returns."

"Uh-huh." He said, grabbing an apple.

"You have apples for breakfast! What is wrong with you? Ever heard of a little thing called pop tarts?"

"I'm starting to miss drunk Rory."

"Oh yes, then do you miss holding my hair back while I gracefully emptied out the contents of my stomach, too?"

"About that, are you feeling okay now?"

"Yeah, apart from the huge tap dancing elephants on my head reminding me of my hangover. I should probably try to figure out my living situation at some point."

"Uh-huh."

"Which means going back to Yale."

"'Kay."

"So, thanks again for housing me."

"No problem."

"Jess, how long are you in the area?" she asked, out of the blue.

"About two weeks."

"Would it be okay if I called you sometime to hang out or something when it doesn't involve me having consumed all the alcohol in New Haven?"

"Sure," he offered a small smile, "I'd like that. My cell number's on the fridge."

"Okay, bye Jess."

"Bye Rory."

gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Rory lingered outside Paris' door before going in.

_Here goes nothing_, she thought as she knocked on the door.

The door opened slightly and half of Paris' face became visible.

"What do you want?"

"Can I just come in?"

Paris hesitated, "Fine" she said opening the door fully.

"Me and Logan broke up." Rory blurted out.

"Oh. Well, so did me and Doyle."

"Oh." God, this was awkward, "I'm really sorry Paris, are you okay?"

Paris pause, before suddenly giving Rory a hug.

"Thanks for coming over."

"It's fine, I missed you, Paris." Rory said, still rather taken aback.

"And you can stay here if you want."

"Sure, thanks Paris."

"Do you want some pizza? I just ordered for ten."

"Sure." Rory said, moving over to sit on the couch.


	3. Confessions

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, they were all really helpful and I hope you like this chapter!

Summary: Don't you know it by now?

Disclaimer: glares I own nothing, leave me alone.

"So, after he finds you wasted at some bar, what happens?" Lorelai Gilmore asked her daughter incredulously.

"He took me back to his hotel room."

"And? Did he take advantage of you, because, if he did, I swear-"

"After that he held my hair back while I threw up and then I passed out and woke up on the couch."

"Excuse me, I'm talking about the Jess who crashed your car, showed up at your grandmother's house with a black eye and left without a word, who are you talking about?"

"He changed, mom."

"Well what's going on now? Are you staying with him?"

"No, I'm staying with Paris."

"So this is all that you're going to see of him whil he's in town?"

Rory hesitated before lying, "Um, sure."

"You're a terrible liar."

"'Cos you've always been such a great one."

"Hey now, don't be mock mommy."

"Says the woman who brushes pizza crumbs under the sink."

"Someone's getting cranky."

"Whatever."

"So, have you talked to Logan since-"

"No."

"Are you planning-"

"No."

"You don't want to hear his side of the-"

"No."

"Okay, then, I guess, if that's what you want to do." Lorelai said, uncertainly.

"It is what I want to do. I have to get to class first."

"'Kay, see ya, kid."

"See ya."

Rory hung up before heading out.

She was never good at lying to her mom, she always saw right through her, but she didn't want to talk about Jess until she realised how she felt about him, herself. He'd been so nice to her, taking her in, dealing with Logan, just being a great guy, he'd changed so much.

She hated hurting him, even despite all the hurt he'd caused her, she could hardly stand watching his face go from hopeful to crushed when she'd turned him down so many years ago. She hated being on bad terms with Jess, they had gotten on so well and she just wanted to be friends with him. That's all. Nothing else. Just friends. Maybe a little bit more…No. Just friends. That's all they ever could be. Right?

She was nearing the coffee cart now, ready for her quick boost before class.

Her eyes widened as she saw, standing there-

"Logan." She greeted, her tone icier than her freezing eyes. If she was going to have to deal with him, she might as well get it out of the way now.

"Ace, just give me five minutes."

"Medium cappuccino with whipped cream and three shots please," she shot a look over her shoulder at Logan "and make it quick, please."

"$3.50."

"I got it, Ace."

"No, you don't." Rory said, paying and walking away with her coffee.

"Ace, come on." He pleaded, following her.

"Logan, go away."

"What you going to see Book Boy?"

At this, Rory turned around, "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Please Rory, I wasn't born yesterday."

"Could've fooled me."

"Come one, he was answering your phone first thing in the morning, I can fill in the blanks for myself."

Rory rolled her eyes, "Think what you wanna think, Logan."

"Ace, I love you."

"I have to go." She said before storming off to class.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"All I'm saying is, if we got our own bar, we'd save a lot of cash." Matt argued for the hundredth time.

"Oh yes, what with actually buying a bar, paying to fix it up, paying for supplies, actually naming the damn thing and realising that no one wants to come, we'll just be rolling in dough." Jess replied, tired of this argument.

"Go to hell."

"You never get tired of that line."

The argument was interrupted by Jess' cell phone.

"We'll finish this later." Matthew declared.

"I'm counting the seconds." Jess Replied before answering, "Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hi, you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine apart from the growing feeling of frustration."

"Huh?"

"Logan encounter."

"Say no more."

"Anyway, I was just wondering if you were free tonight."

"As a bird."

"Good, I was thinking a movie marathon, classic horror: The Shining, The Blaire Witch Project, Single White Female _and_ Final Destinations 1, 2 and 3.

"Sounds good."

"Good, swing by around seven. Apartment 8, Delta Building, 4th street."

"Okay, see ya then."

"See ya."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

I'm sorry, but you can't die from having a stiletto heel through the eye, it's not possible!" Jess ranted after the third movie of the night.

"And yet it happened."

"Do they really expect us to believe that?"

"You're getting really worked up about this." Rory observed, amused.

"And jeez, there's no way Sam mistook Heddy for Ally when she came, there's a huge weight difference!"

"Get over it, it's just a film."

"Says the woman who cried during The Perfect Storm."

"It was moving!"

"It was about as moving as my sock draw." Rory started to giggle, "What?"

"Nothing is gayer than a sock draw."

"Why thanks Ms. Gilmore, maybe you should go away and talk with your Hello Kitty toys again, now." He remarked, earning a glare.

"Rory held the glare for a moment before bursting into giggles. She was having so much fun, it was like the movie nights they used to have. She let herself slip back into the memories and, unconsciously, started to lean into him. There lips brushed and it took him only a few seconds to respond wrapping an arm around her back and pulling her closer. But all too soon, he pulled away and the moment was lost.

"Rory-"

"Don't talk, I don't want to hear the reasons why this can't work, I just want to-"

"Rory," he repeated more forcefully, "I have a girlfriend."


	4. Tiresome Relationships

A/n: Thanks again for all the reviews, I'm going to try and update daily but I'm going away for the week on Saturday, which means that I can't post, but I will write down a chapter a day and, when I get back, I'll post all the chapters that I'd written since I left. Oh, and whatever it looks like, this will still remain literati, even though I'm twisting things around here.

kaypgirl: Yes, I'm English.

soccergrl1: Why don't you just add this to your story alerts, then automatically emails you every time I update.

Summary: Read summaries in chapters 1 and 2 if you're that bothered.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, for the gazillienth time.

Chapter Four

"Oh." Rory said, stunned.

"Rory-"

"Final Destination time?"

"Rory, come on."

"1, 2 or 3? 'Cos I always thought that watching in order is too conventional, you need to make your own original decisions in life…" she ranted, nervously.

"Did you just expect me to sit and pine for you for years?"

"That was out of blue."

"Well?"

"Of course not!"

"Good."

"And I'm happy for you."

"Good."

"So," a beat, "How long have you two been dating?"

Jess hesitated a moment, surprised by the question, "About two years."

"Wow." Rory said, staring at her toes, but then something struck her and she looked back up at him, a chill in her eyes, "So, about the time you asked me to run away with you?"

Jess' jaw clenched at the mention, "About that time."

Now Rory's anger showed clearly through her sapphire eyes, "So, what, you were just like 'Hey, nothing's happening with her, I'll just move onto somebody else'?"

"Hey!"

"Never mind, I get it, I didn't want to drop out of Yale and abandon my friends and family for you, so you just move onto the next girl you see!"

"You have no right to-"

"Though it's not like you even considered my situation at the time! You don't know how much it hurt me to say no!"

"Sure, I can only imagine how much hurt you were feeling. Tell me, how much were you hurting when you slept with Dean the following week?"

Rory inhaled sharply, she felt as if she'd been slapped, "You found out."

"Luke told me and, let me tell, you, I'm so sorry for how much pain I caused you, I hope you managed to swallow it a bit while you screwed a married guy."

"Jess, I think you should go." Rory said, quietly.

"Gladly." He said, walking out.

Rory let out a sob and buried her head in her pillow.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Rory woke up to the sound of the door shutting. She checked her watch, 'Three in the morning, jeez Paris'.

Her cheeks were tear stained and she knew she probably had mascara running down them, as she stared at the black imprint she'd made in the cushion.

"Rory." Paris said in the form of a greeting, "Jeez, what happened? You're a mess."

"Thanks, Paris. Where's Doyle?"

She waved a hand in the air, "Just trying to get his wallet back from the du-op group. What happened?"

"Nothing a couple of pounds of ice cream can't fix."

The conversation was interrupted by Doyle sprinting in and locking the door behind him.

"I'm okay," he panted, "Just none of us can leave the apartment for 24 hours."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Jess had slumped on the lumpy hotel couch when he got back.

He hated fights with Rory though, unfortunately, they seem to go hand in hand ith spending extended periods of time with her. He wondered if they could ever be just friends, no strings attached. Well, they were going to have to be if he wanted to remain in contact with her and he had no doubts in his mind that he wanted that.

He knew deep down that he could never truly be mad at her, he was more mad at himself for responding to the kiss, he still didn't know why he'd done that.

The ringing of the phone snapped him out of his reverie.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babe, what's up?"

"Hi Karen. Nothing's up, you'd know that if you'd actually seen New Haven."

"Come on, it can't be that bad."

"You have no idea."

"Well, whatever it's like, hurry back, I miss you."

"I miss you, too, but I think I'm going to be here for awhile, business is hectic." He said while looking over at his blank calendar. He knew he shouldn't be lying, but he wanted to make things write with Rory, and he wanted to put off the Rory discussion with Karen for as long as possible.

"Okay, well, call more, then."

"I'll try."

"And after a year, send me a picture of yourself, just so I know you haven't gone bald or anything."

"Will do." He said, chuckling.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." He said before hanging up and collapsing back into his former position with a sigh.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Friday afternoon and his hangover still lingered, mad increasingly more obvious by the ceaseless ringing of the phone. He finally located the damn thing under one of the cushions of his $10,000 couch.

"Hello?" he answered, groggily.

"Hey."

"Hi, Ace, what's up?" surprise evident in his voice.

"Are you free on Friday for dinner?"

"Sure, I'm free, I'll pick you up around seven, then."

"Okay, see ya then."

"Bye, Ace."

"Goodbye, Logan."


	5. Surprise Appearances

A/n: Thanks again for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter Five

She didn't know why she'd done it, she just wanted to get out, move on and stop moping around over a guy who bailed on her god knows how many times. More than that, she wanted to prove that she could have just as much fun with Logan as she could with Jess.

Or was it the other way around? Did she want to prove, yet again, she'd picked another guy inferior to Jess? She really didn't know. She didn't know why she'd done it in the past with Dean, she kept on going with him after the thing at Sookie's wedding just to add that little bit of proof that it was Jess she would rather be with.

Well, she'd just have to try not to over think it for this evening.

A knock interrupted her thoughts. She opened the door to reveal a grinning Logan.

"Hey, Ace."

"Hi," a beat, "so, shall we?"

"Let's shall." He said offering her an arm which she took. She could tell h was curious as to why she was doing this. Well, he'd just have to wait and see.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Jess had been flicking through the channels for at least half an hour, not really paying attention to what was flickering on the screen. He'd been just sitting there for ages, just thinking. Thanking about work. Karen. Rory.

He knew he and Karen didn't have the most stable relationship, hell it had al started with a one night stand.

About a week after the incident at Rory's dorm, he'd been fired from his job. He'd just been so pissed, all he wanted to do was go out and get hammered. And so he did.

Naturally, the morning after, he didn't wake up alone. He was lying next a girl with silky auburn hair and emerald green eyes. Not at all like Rory.

After she'd left, he went back to his normal life (after a good hangover meal, of course). But that night, she'd returned. Crying. She was saying something about being mugged, her lease being up on her apartment, her being completely broke and this being the only place she could think of to go.

Uncharacteristically, though mainly out of surprise, he took her in and listened to how she'd abandoned all her friends and family in Seattle when she ran away and she could bear facing them again and she had no one else that she knew in the area and that she just needed a place to stay. Something about the shyness in her voice and the tentative glances in his direction reminded him of the Rory, so he let her stay for a few nights and somehow it had led to two years and their friendship had led to a relationship.

But right now, Karen wasn't the woman on his mind, Rory, as usual, dominated his thoughts.

He couldn't leave things like this, he just had to fix them, despite all they'd done to each other, he wanted them to remain friends.

Determined to fix whatever it was between him and Rory, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

As the evening came to a close, Rory was sure that, though she'd had a great time, she could've had a far better time with Jess. Though she wanted to play along with Logan for a little while, maybe give him a little more time to prove himself. Maybe.

But as they approached her apartment, engaged in light hearted chatter, she recognised a familiar figure about to knock and, as he turned around at the sound of voices, she caught his eye and it could be no one but-

"Jess."


	6. Introducing Karen Bates

a/n: Thanks again for the reviews, as I said before, I'm leaving for a week tomorrow, but I'll be writing a chapter each day, so when I get back I'll type up like six chapters, 'kay?

Disclaimer: I own nothing, stop asking me!

Chapter six

He couldn't believe it. There he was. The dickhead who fucking cheated on her. Back. The wasn't meer dislike, he hated this guy with a bitter loathing and he was pretty sure that the feeling was mutual.

"What are you doing here?" Logan spat out in distaste.

"Leaving." Jess spat back, giving Rory a fixed stare before turning to leave.

"Jess, wait!" Rory cried, finally re-mastering the ability of speech.

"Ace, don't."

"Go home, Logan."

"What?"

"I said go home."

"So you drag me out to dinner, without any explanation as to why by the way, and now you just dump me again just 'cos Book Boy shows up!"

"Logan, I…I can't talk about this now!" she said, starting to chase after Jess.

Logan shook his head, disbelievingly and walked over to the elevator.

"Jess! Jess, why did you come?"

"Just go back to Logan, Rory."

"You can't just come here unannounced and just walk away again with no explanation at all!"

"Fine! I just wanted to try to fix whatever crap there is between us! You happy?"

"I'm not doing cartwheels, but-"

"Look, it doesn't matter, just go back to your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Then what is her? Hell, what am I?"

"We're friends."

Jess snorted, "Like hell we are."

"What else do you expect me to say? You've made it pretty clear that we can't be anything more and we sure as hell aren't strangers, so you tell me."

"Look," Jess said in a tired voice, "I just came here to apologise for yelling at you the other day, so there you go."

"I'm sorry too, for…for…for what happened."

"It's forgotten."

"Okay. Friends?"

"Friends." Jess replied, though his tone was agitated and he left straight afterwards.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

She had no idea how that had gone in his eyes but she had a feeling that it didn't go well. She kept thinking of ways she could have handled it better but how are you supposed to handle something like that? Better than she had, that's for sure.

She didn't know where to go from now, she had tried t move on, but then Jess came back again and all hell broke loose. She knew she'd missed him over the years, how could she deny it, but she should be able to restrain herself better than that and try not to think about him. She'd just have to settle for being just friends with Jess, she'd left it too late for anything else.

But what did being friends with Jess entail? More disastrous movie nights? Phone calls? The occasional email? A yearly awkward encounter with a bitter after taste? That last one seemed most accurate.

She absently wondered what it would have been like if she'd gone with him that night at her dorm. God, what was she thinking? She knew it wouldn't have worked out. Or, at least, that's what she'd told herself every time the subject had cropped up in her head before.

This would be a long night.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Jess' mind raced as he walked back. He didn't really know what to think. Was he mad at Rory? He knew he was mad at Logan, that's for sure, but he wasn't surer how he felt about Rory. Why did he keep going back to her? She was like some kind of addiction, he didn't know what to do.

'Oh well,' he thought, 'at least I can relax for the evening, now.'

"Hello!" said Karen, opening the door to the hotel room and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Hey!" greeted Jess, surprised.

"So, since you couldn't come home, I decided to bring home to you."

"Cool, it's good to see you."

"It's okay isn't it?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay. So, I rented a couple of movies to see, hold on, I'll just get them out of the kitchen.

"Okay." Jess said, slumping onto the couch.

The hotel phone rang, but Jess just reclined lazily and let the machine get it.

"Hi," Jess' head snapped up, "it's uh, Rory, I just want to, um, talk, I guess, just to see where we stand, so call me back when you get this, okay?" the dialling tone came.

He felt eyes burning holes in the back of his head and he reluctantly turned around to see Karen standing in the doorway, her green eyes ablaze with curiosity and her eyebrow raised.

This was going to be a long night.


	7. Jealousy

Disclaimer: I own nothing, jeez I get tired of writing that.

Chapter seven

"So, that was, um, Rory."

"Rory?" she said, using the kind of tone that said 'I know you're done something wrong but I'm going to let you dig yourself further into it before I come out and say it'.

"Yep."

"Have I met her before?"

"No." Jess replied, casually.

"So, who is she?"

"An old friend."

"You never said that you'd been seeing this 'old friend' on the phone."

"You never asked."

"Silly me."

"I wouldn't beat yourself up about it."

"Jess."

"What now?" he asked, slightly agitated.

"She's an ex, isn't she?"

"Typical, you immediately assume that she's an ex." Jess complained, despite the fact that she was right.

"Well, it's obvious!"

"Well, if it's that obvious to you then I guess you don't need my input on the matter."

"You aren't even going to deny it?"

Jess remained silent.

"So, she is an ex!"

"Yes." Jess admitted, reluctantly.

"Well, this is just peachy, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't call it 'Singing in the Rain' material, but it has its moments."

"Jess, will you be serious for five minutes?"

"Fine."

"So, how'd you bump into her?"

"Do we really have to get into this now?"

"Yes." Karen replied, firmly.

"She was drunk in some bar, she'd just been dumped by her boyfriend who she was living with so I gave her a place to stay for a night."

"Oh my God!"

"What? I helped out an old friend, is that such a crime?"

"She was your ex-girlfriend!"

"So?"

"So? What do you mean 'so'? Are you blind?"

"Only to why you're making such a big deal out of this."

"Because it is a big deal! She stayed the night with you! You don't just spontaneously meet an old flame at some bar and whisk her off to your hotel room! And why was she calling you?"

"To talk about what happened earlier."

"What happened earlier?"

"I went round there to apologise for the other day and she was with her ex-boyfriend who, by the way, is the biggest dick in the world and I snapped at her a bit."

"What happened the other day?"

"We got into a fight after our movie night and I shouted at her."

"You're having movie nights with this woman?"

"One. And don't call her 'this woman' her name is Rory."

"I don't care what her name is, I don't want to know what her name is! And how did she get the number to the hotel room?"

"She probably just called the hotel." Jess replied, getting impatient.

"Look I don't want you to call her back, I don't want you to see her at all anymore."

"That's my choice."

"Well, I'm your girlfriend and I say don't see her anymore."

"Look, I didn't come back here to be yelled at, I'm going out."

Karen winced as the door slammed shut.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Why does your life always make mine sound so boring?" Lane asked Rory, as she explained what had happened during the last week.

"You life isn't boring, you're getting married!"

"I am, aren't I?" she said, happily.

"Of course, missy, and as maid of honour, it's my duty to tell you that you have to tell Mrs Kim eventually."

"Zach keeps putting it off, but I'm sure he'll do it eventually."

"So long as it gets done."

"So…tell me what happened after the kiss!"

"He told me he had a girlfriend."

"Oh."

"And we got into a huge fight."

"Double oh."

"But, get this, he comes by the other day to apologise!"

"Oh my God, that's so not him!"

"I know, didn't I tell you he'd changed?"

"Yes, but I still find it hard to believe."

"Okay, so I see him standing outside my door, but Logan is with me."

"No!"

"Yes! He immediately gets uncomfortable and leaves and I had to bail on Logan to chase after him, where he shiftily told me that he was sorry."

"But why were you with Logan?"

"I was trying to give him a second chance, but it didn't really work out."

"I can see that."

"So, you're all filled in. How are things back at the Hollow?"

"I've actually been seeing a lot of April."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, she's really smart."

"Wow, I can't imagine Luke having a smart kid."

"Neither could I, but here she is."

"So, how's she getting along with mom?"

"Well, Lorelai doesn't really see much of her, Luke's kinda weird about that."

"What?" Rory asked, angry.

"Yeah, it doesn't really seem like he wants her to see her."

"Well, that'll have to change, they're getting married."

There was a knock at the door.

"Gotta go, there's someone at the door, I'll be down to visit soon, okay?"

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." Rory said before answering the door, "Jess, what're you doing-"

"Can I come in?"

"Um, sure, come on in."

a/n: Sorry, no more updates until next Sunday, when there'll be eight!


	8. Rory and Jess, Karen and Logan?

Chapter eight

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Searching

Rory just sat there, drowning in awkward silence. Of course, she had no idea what was doing there, he'd just come in and sat in broody silence for ten minutes. Rory knew the look on his face. She had come to hate that look. It had been the same expression he'd had on in Kyle's party and God knows how that turned our. She knew he wouldn't want to talk but he'd have to, he can't just barge in, no explanation and just sit in silence. Then again, she admitted silently, Jess could do anything to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm not sure."

"Oh."

Well, that was very helpful.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay."

Another long pause.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Well, this wasn't getting her anywhere.

"Are you hungry?"

"Nope."

This was starting to get frustrating.

"Jess, why are you here?"

"I told you."

"You're going to have to do better than that."

Jess remained silent.

"Did you get my call?"

"Yup."

"Is that why you came?"

"Maybe."

"We're not getting very far."

"Huh."

"Jess, say something."

"Ayn Rand sucks."

"Oh, real mature."

"You told me to say something, I did."

"Yes, well, what you said isn't much coming from someone who worships Hemmingway."

"Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"Something like that."

"Well, I'd expect more than that from a Yale student."

"Give me a chance, it's ten thirty and I haven't had coffee since noon."

"Wow, is that some kind of record?"

"Might be."

"Well, looks like you're in luck," he said getting up and starting to brew another cup.

"Ah, my knight in shining armour has arrived."

"Good thing the suit isn't rusty yet."

The conversation was interrupted by Jess' cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jess." said Karen.

"Hey."

"Listen, I'm sorry for earlier, I just-"

"Hey! Coffee boy, who d'you think you're dealing with, are you putting all that water in intentionally, r do you think it looks pretty there?" Rory said, gesturing towards her coffee mug.

"Who was that?"

"No one."

"You are unbelievable, Jess."

"Karen, listen-"

"You don't just go running back to your ex after a little fight!"

"Karen-"

"You know, I don't need this, I've got enough money now for an apartment, I'll get my stuff tomorrow."

"Karen, don't-"

"Oh, and Jess, remember to use protection, the world is bad enough without another one of you running around."

"Wait-" but she had already hung up. He looked up to see Rory staring at him, sheepishly.

"Did I inadvertently do something wrong?"

"Kinda, that was Karen."

"The girlfriend?"

"Not anymore."

"Oh, Jess, I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be. Can I crash here tonight? I don't feel like driving right now."

"Sure, anything."

"Shall I take the couch?"

"No, I don't feel like being woken up by Paris when her and Doyle get in and see you."

"Okay, so…"

"So, you can share the bed."

"What?"

"Yeah, I don't really care and it's much comfier than the couch."

"You sure?"

"Of course, come on."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Karen finished her eighth drink.

She was sick of Jess, she couldn't deal with him anymore, even though she loved (yes, loved) him, she knew she'd never be the number one woman in his life. She'd first known there was another girl when she saw the message scribbled in the front of a book, for a girl called Rory. And then her picture popped up now and then, a few of Jess' bookmarks, the photo album at the back of his closet, etc, etc.

She was tired of being second best, she couldn't take it anymore.

Suddenly, she wasn't alone, a guy with blonde hair and brown eyes had appeared next to her.

"Hey." He said.

"Hi."

"You okay?"

"No."

"Well, how about that."

"You okay?"

"No."

"Oh."

"How about we drown our sorrows in another drink?"

"Sounds good."

"Logan Huntzberger, by the way."

"Karen Bates." She said, smiling. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Rory woke up closer to Jess than she remembered but, then again, her memory never was that good in the morning.

She didn't know whether it was the proximity to Jess or the fact that it was before seven that made her mind go all hazy. She settle for an even split.

His eyelids gently fluttered open and she averted her gaze.

"Morning." He greeted, groggily.

"Morning."

There was about an inch in between their faces and, like before, she found herself leaning in. But this time, when their lips touched, he didn't pull away.


	9. Two Awkward Goodbyes

Chapter nine

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Searching

Karen woke up with the familiar feeling that someone was repeatedly throwing bricks at her head. Only the bricks were the size of cars and they had tap dancing elephants on them. She was going to need tachos.

She tried to lift her arm up, but something was on top of it. And it sure of hell didn't belong to her.

As the guy whose name she couldn't remember stirred, she began to panic. Had she really cheated on Jess? Wait, she'd broken up with Jess. Or had she? All of the night before seemed a bit foggy.

The guy whose name was so easy to misplace's eyes were starting to open now.

"Hi, um…"

"Karen." She reminded him.

"Hi, Karen." He paused, "Do you happen to know where my pants are?"

"Over there." She said, pointing to the pool table. Since when did she have a pool table? This must be his place.

"I better go." She said, gathering up her clothes, "Bye, uh…"

"Logan."

"Right! Bye Logan." She said hurrying out, feeling utterly disgusted with herself.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Rory's head was spinning. She hadn't meant it to go that far. God, he'd just got out of a two year relationship, you don't sleep with your former girlfriend the morning after!

Her mind raced as she lay, entangled with Jess. She shouldn't have let it go this fat, it was too much, they weren't even together. God, she was so stupid!

She tried to disentangle herself from him without waking him, but he woke at the movement.

"Hey."

"Hi." She replied, still trying to get up.

"You okay?"

"Yes…No. We shouldn't have…You and Karen just…"

"Rory, calm down."

"No! This was stupid, so stupid and I shouldn't have let it happen, you shouldn't have let it happen!"

"Just relax."

"No! No, no, no, no-"

"Rory-"

"You should-"

"Go?"

"Yeah." She answered, looking anywhere but him.

"Okay." He said, gathering up his clothes, he could tell she thought this was a mistake and he didn't want to stick around long enough to get into a fight over it.

Rory waited until Jess left to collapse back onto the bed. But the silence was broken soon enough by Paris storming in.

"How come James Dean was leaving when I didn't see him come in this morning?"

"Because, he came last night."

"Oh." Paris took in Rory's dishevelled clothing and unmade bed, "iOh/i."

"Go away, Paris."

"Don't see why you're in such a bad mood, you've been pining over him for years."

"I have not!"

"When you broke up, you didn't date anyone for a year until you went running back to Farmer Joe. Then you hooked up with Huntzberger and look what a mess that was."

"Did I ask for your input?"

"Has that ever stopped me before?"

"If only."

"Look, all I'm saying is it's about time."

"And all I'm doing is ignoring you."

"Fine, I just never pinned you as a one night stand girl." She said before leaving.

Rory sighed and buried her head into her pillow.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

She'd started throwing up about two weeks after that night. She'd been having cravings all of the last two weeks but she hadn't really noticed until now. Now was when it was all going to change.

She strolled along to the cash till and paid for her purchase. She swiftly ran for the bathroom.

These would have to be the longest two minutes of her life, which was going to change dramatically if the stick turned-

"Pink." She said before throwing up some more. It made sense to do so. She was pregnant.


	10. I'm Pregnant, By The Way

Chapter ten

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Searching

Karen sat alone in her new apartment, empty of furniture, empty of life. She couldn't quite get her head round it. She was pregnant. _Pregnant_. She had a person growing inside of her. And she couldn't remember where its father lived. She'd reached an ultimate low.

She sighed at the prospect of getting her stuff form Jess' place. She knew she'd been too paranoid about Jess, why shouldn't he hang out with his ex? His ex whose picture was used as a bookmark. His ex whose album of pictures of her and Jess together still sat at the back of Jess' closet. There was nothing going on there, right?

She supposed she'd have to get her stuff eventually, she might as well get it out of the way. But how could she face Jess after what happened? She'd have to pray he wasn't back for New Haven yet.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Two weeks. Two fucking weeks had passed. He'd called so many times that he could be considered a stalker. She was too damn good at avoiding him. She'd done it after Sookie's wedding and she was doing it now.

He was sick of this, of her. This was it for him, for them, he'd gone back to his apartment in New York.

He was trying to get through Fever Pitch now, but he'd been on the same page for an hour; he wasn't getting very far.

He heard the key turn in the lock and the door opened to reveal Karen. Her face was tear-stained and her mascara had proved it wasn't waterproof.

"Hi, I just, uh, wanted to get my stuff."

"Sure, I already unpacked all of your stuff from the bedroom, but I don't know what's yours in here, so you just have to collect everything that's yours."

"Oh, okay." She said, weakly.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"No, not really."

"What's up?"

"I'm-" she crumpled up onto the chair, sobbing, "I'm pregnant."

Jess' eyes widened, "What?"

"Oh, it's not yours."

"What?"

"The night we broke up, I went down to a bar and, well, drank. I m-met someone there, he was upset, too, and we well…" she trailed off.

"This guy, have you told him?"

"No. I don't know if I will. He didn't really seem like 'Daddy' material." She sniffed.

"But he has to know."

"No! Logan won't do anything about it, I know his type, he's a playboy!" she noticed Jess' clenched jaw, "What?"

"Logan? Logan Huntzberger?"

"That's it! I knew his last name started with an 'H'! How do you know him?"

"Wait there."

"Jess-" but Jess was already through to another room.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Rory stumbled in holding three bags of Indian food and a coffee with a Danish, to the sound of her phone ringing. She hurriedly put everything down and picked up the offending object.

"Whoever you are, you have really bad timing."

"Oh, now, and I was always so proud of my amazing capabilities."

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other line.

"Don't worry, I'm not calling to chat, you've made your feelings pretty clear about that."

"Jess…"

"Look, I just need to know Logan's number and address."

"What, why?"

"Because he impregnated Karen."

Another sharp intake of breath.

"If you don't want to tell me-"

"6, apartment building alpha, Regent street. 07213180063."

"Thanks, Ror, bye."

"Wait, Jess-" but he'd already hung up.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Do it." Jess said, pushing the phone towards her.

"But-"

"Do it."

"Fine," she breathed, defeated, before dialling.

"Hello?"

"Hi, you probably don't remember me, form the other night-"

"Yeah, Kirsty, wasn't it?"

"Karen." She corrected, coldly.

"Right, right."

"Well, just calling to say I'm pregnant, oh and I just love your plasma screen."

Karen heard the phone drop to the floor.


	11. James Dean becomes Mr Darcy

Chapter eleven

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Searching

Logan was having trouble breathing, but he picked up the phone, all the same, "Where'd you get this number?"

"I'm you ex-girlfriend's ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriend."

"You know Rory?"

"I know Jess."

"Book Boy?"

"If that's what you wanna call him, then yes."

There was a long pause.

"So? Are you going to talk?"

Another pause.

"I don't really go in for miming."

Silence.

"Hello?"

Crickets.

"He hung up!"

"I told him that I was carrying his child and he hung up on me!"

"Did you expect him to jump for joy?"

"No, but I was going for some sort of reaction!"

"Cartwheels?"

"No."

"Fire work displays?"

"No!"

"A sky writer spelling 'I'm here for you'?"

"Shut up!"

"Bottom line, you already said he was a playboy, you should've expected this."

"I can't do this on my own!"

"Then go find that jerk and get him to help you."

"He won't!"

"Then, you're stuck."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For breaking up with you, I-"

"No."

"What?"

"You can't do this."

"Do what?"

"Come back here and expect me to fall into your arms, it doesn't work like that."

"Jess, I just thought-"

"You didn't think! You never think, you just do things, regardless of the after affects they might cause!"

"Jess, stop."

"I'm sorry I just- we don't work, that's why we broke up, we didn't work."

"We worked fine until- until…"

"Until you started seeing her again!"

"Don't blame this on Rory." His voice was calm but his eyes were blazing.

"I was just saying-"

"You were just blaming her, you're the one that went out and got pregnant."

"Ouch!"

"I'm going out, lock the door behind you and slide the key under the mat when you're done."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

About ten minutes after the first time, the phone rang again.

"Hello, Jess?"

"Sorry to disappoint."

"What do you want?"

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Logan asked Rory.

"What?"

"Getting Krystal to call and say she's pregnant, do you find that funny?"

"Do you mean Karen?"

"Yes! Karen! I don't care what her name is! She's not pregnant!"

"She is and it's nothing to do with me."

"Then Book Boy put her up to it."

"Stop! For once, Logan, you're going to have to deal with your bad decisions. You're going to have to be a father, you're going to have to be in the same place very day, you're going to have to take some responsibility and you're going to have to grow up. Or you can forget this ever happened, go home, carry on with your pathetic life and pretend that this little charade never happened, that you're not a father. But whatever you do. Leave. Me. Out. Of. It." She snapped coldly before hanging up.

She didn't really know where that had come from, she'd just been so mad at Logan, as if she'd ever make someone do that, trick him like that, did he know her at all? And God, this was so typical of him, something goes wrong and he goes out and gets laid,l he never learns!

Well, one thing was for sure, she wasn't going to have anything to do with him anymore.

Gggggggggggggggggggggg

He'd just sat there, staring at the phone. This was real. He was a father. He'd broken up with Rory and now he was a father. He'd had sex and now he was a father. I was midnight and he was a father. He'd been sitting there for four fucking hours.

He finally broke his position as he heard rapping on the door.

"Keep your pants on, I'm coming!" eh opened the door, "Book Boy! Long time no see!"

"First thing's first, shut up." He said, barging in, "Here's what you're going to do: You are going to visit Karen, you are going to step up, you are going to try to make something of the piece of slime that you truly are and you are going to want to because my ex-girlfr- my friend is considering abortion. I know you're a little playboy who's most treasured possession is Daddy's credit card, but you won't let your own child die."

"Wow, so serious, James Dean becomes Mr Darcy."

"I've had enough of you, I'm going to go let you do…whatever it is asses like you do."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

She dialled the numbers slowly, hesitantly and, when he answered, she paused. She waited until the second 'hello?' to chime in.

"Hi."

"What do you-"

"I want to talk. About what happened."


	12. Finally!

Chapter twelve

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Searching

"I'm listening."

"You're not going to help me out here, are you?"

"Nope."

"Are you doing this just to make me feel awkward?"

"Pretty much."

"Fair enough."

"Uh-huh."

"So, um, that morning I was sleep, something came over me and I just wanted to…to…to feel seventeen again. But it got out of hand, I'm not blaming you, but I went further than I'd like, considering the circumstances, you having just broken up with Karen and all. After you left, I told myself it would just be a one time thing, that I wouldn't have to deal with it. At all. Because if I had to deal with it, then I'd have to ask myself why I let the turn into…what happened. But it lingered with me, my mind kept replaying what happened and I just wanted to talk to you again. But I was scared, so I avoided you, it kind of comes naturally by now, but it's getting old and I just want to hear what you have to say."

There was silence on the other line.

"So…do you have anything to say?"

"Five minutes that speech was, you Gilmores sure can talk. Of course, all the hesitating and stuttering added quite a bit."

"Oh yes, we Gilmore can talk, but you Marianos have sensitivity down."

"I was just speculating."

"As I said before that charming observation, have you got anything you want to say?"

"I think you covered it."

"Come on, Jess!"

"What do you want me to say?"

"How you feel."

"A bit hungry to tell you the truth."

"Stop being difficult!"

"Rory, you said it all yourself, you don't need my input."

"I do! I'm going crazy here!"

"Look, if you really were, you would have called sooner."

"I'm calling now!"

"Maybe it's too late now."

"Why, have you gone and found yourself another Shane?"

"Have you run crying back to pretty boy?"

"You know I wouldn't do that."

"You did it before, you did it after the kiss at Sookie's wedding, you went crying back to Dean, you haven't changed, you haven't learnt."

"I didn't think I'd have to I didn't think I'd be in this situation again!"

"Bull."

"And something has changed, I'm calling you this time."

"After two weeks."

"What does it matter?"

"It matters"

"Fine. I just called to see what you had to say and, since it's obvious that you don't have anything to say, I better go." She said, hanging up.

She dropped the phone onto the couch, defeated.. That wasn't how it was supposed to go, he was supposed to be nicer than that, he was supposed to care! She was supposed to be more confident and less, well, whiny. All she wanted was to see him again.

She knew that she'd messed up and Jess certainly didn't mind reminding her of that but she'd explained to him why she hadn't called back or, for that matter, made any contact at all, she'd told him everything and he'd brushed her off, she couldn't do anything else, could she?

No! She was sick of wondering what she'd done wrong this time, sick of waiting around for him to come back, this was a vicious cycle and there was no reason to play along with it.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

He tried to ignore what Book Boy had said but the word 'abortion' kept going around his head. Book Boy had slipped the piece of paper onto his counter expecting him to use it. But he didn't want to.

The paper had Karla's address on it. He didn't need it. He wasn't going to visit her. Then why couldn't he ring himself to throw the paper away?

Because his child might die. He couldn't let that happen, his only child couldn't die before even being born. But he couldn't be a father either.

Why did this happen to him? He was in love with Rory. Not Kimberly. Rory was the girl he loved, she was the only girl, he couldn't see himself with anyone else, it was Rory, it had only ever been Rory. 'But Rory doesn't want anything to do with you' the nagging little voice in the back of his head reminded him.

He could only do one thing. He picked up the slip of paper, grabbed a coat, and walked out.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Karen sat down on the sofa with a tub of kiwi ice cream and a box of sugared almonds. She knew this was a rather strange combo, but it was all she'd wanted.

There was a knock at the door. She didn't feel like getting up, so she just told whoever it was to come in. She knew it was irresponsible but, hell, she was pregnant, she had an excuse.

"Hey, Kathy."

"It's Karen! Can't that tiny piece of information travel through you blonde head? Karen! Not Krystal, not Kathy, Karen!"

"Hey Karen."

"What do you want?"

"To be a father."

"Oh really? You want to be a father?"

"Yes."

"I'm sure Kathy would be thrilled."

"Look, it's going to be my baby, too. I ant to be there for you, for it."

"That's very big of you."

"Don't judge by the fact that my parents are rich, feel free to judge me for continuously forgetting your name, but don't judge me because I'm well off."

"I know your type. You can only be doing this for your own gain, there's no other explanation."

"I may not be the greatest person, and I may not make the best decisions, but I know what's important, this is my child, I wanna be there."

Karen let out a weak smile, "Be there, then." She paused, "But right now, could you be there at the nearest grocery store with some cookie dough?"

"Sure." He said, with a grin, before leaving.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Oh my God! Not you too!" Rory exclaimed.

"I'm afraid so!"

"Oh my God!" Rory repeated, "You and Luke finally set a date!"

"August 15th!"

"You're getting married, Lane's getting married, this is too much joy to take in."

"Quick! Put on 'The Way We Were'!"

"I'm speeding to the video store as we speak."

"So, this means, missy, you'll have to visit more, I need major dress help, and you need to pick your own dress."

"I'm sure whatever you pick will be fine."

"Why won't you visit mama?"

"I'll be there tomorrow, I've got no classes in the afternoon, so I can leave then and stay for the weekend."

"Okay, see you then, I gotta go do something inappropriate with Luke…"

"Add that to the list of thing I do not need to know!"

"Will do! Bye hun!"

"Bye!"


	13. Such Innocence

Chapter thirteen

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Searching

"Hello, my weary traveller!" Lorelai greeted, sweeping Rory into a hug.

"Hello, darling mother, may I ask that you release your weary traveller before you've crushed her?"

"Fair enough." Lorelai said,, pulling away.

"So…" Rory started into the house, "When did you buy a bridal shop?" she asked observing all the magazines laid out across the tables and chairs.

"Mock of you like, but I've already picked out forty-six options for my wedding dress."

"Narrowed down from…"

"Forty-seven."

"Carry on."

"And you have ten choices."

"Such service."

"Well, you do have the most radiant mother in town."

"Of course, of course."

"So, what colour dress should I have?"

"White, definitely white."

"Okay, these can go then." She said, tossing out a stack of magazines.

"And for me?"

"The light tangerine ones have been taken since I had to cancel the order along with all the other June 3rd stuff and they've been snatched up since, but I was thinking a light blue to match your eyes, you like?"

"Very much."

"Good! So these can go." She threw out another stack, "All these wedding preparations are exhausting, aren't they?"

"Yep, I mean, how you manage to lift up the stack of magazines and throw them into the trash, I'll never know."

"Coffee break?"

"Absolutely!"

"Oh Lucas!"

"What now?" he asked coming in, "And you said you'd do something about this mess."

"I did, I moved all of these," she gestured to six magazines, "from the left side of the room to the right side."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"You'll get used to her, Luke." Rory comforted.

"Hey! Don't side with him!"

"Did you call me in for any particular reason?"

"Yes! Coffee!"

"No."

"Come on, Luke, before I start calling you 'Daddy'", Rory pleaded.

"Fine, but only one cup each."

"Sure," Lorelai waited until he was our of the room, "he's so cute, he actually believes us!"

"Such innocence!"

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"You what?" Jess asked, not quite believing what he'd heard.

"I want you to be my best man." Luke mumbled.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course I am!"

"You sure?"

"Jess, just tell me if you can do it."

Jess paused, he didn't really feel like facing Rory, but he owed it to Luke, after all he'd done for him, "I guess I can. Sure."

"Good. Great. This means a lot to me."

"Thanks for asking."

"Not problem…so…you doing good?"

"I won't be enjoying caviar at the Ritz anytime soon, but I'm doing okay."

"Good, that's good."

"Okay, so I gotta go shatter some writers dreams, I'll see you August 13th?"

"See you then."

"Bye Luke." He hung up and made his way out of the door.

So, a trip to Pleasantville. It wouldn't be that bad. Would it?

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

Her dress was light blue with straps and a white horizontal sash around the middle. It was perfect, beautiful, just like her mom's dress. She loved seeing Lorelai so happy, it was nice. Not that she was without nerves, she had plenty of them, especially after Richard and Emily had made their feelings known. But still, Rory knew this was going to work out. Luke had always been the father figure in her life and he and her mom had always had a thing for each other. She remembered talking to Jess about it when they were going out.

Jess. Why did she always think about him, there was no point, she was probably never going to see her again so she shouldn't think about him.

She shook her head to clear it and walked out into the living room where her mom was sitting on the couch.

"Hey there, where's Luke?"

"He has a thing with April."

"Oh." Rory frowned, "Why doesn't he bring her round here?"

"Because he doesn't want me to meet her yet."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"She's coming to the wedding, isn't she?"

"I don't know."

"Haven't you asked Luke?"

"No."

"Okay." She paused, "But don't you want to meet her?"

"Of course I do! But Luke doesn't want me to and he's her father so it's his right."

"But-"

"No, Rory, that's final and I don't want to discuss this with you anymore."

"Okay."

"So.." Lorelai searched for a new topic, "have you seen anymore of Jess?"

Rory stiffened, "A bit."

"How much is-"

"I'm hungry, do you want pizza?"

"Um, sure."

"Okay, I'll go order it." She said moving quickly away to get the phone.


	14. They'll be Fine

Chapter fourteen

"I don't believe this!"

"Relax, Dad." Logan groaned.

"I will not relax! You've dragged the good Huntzberger name through the dirt!"

"I'm not marrying, her Dad."

"Oh yes you are!"

"I'm twenty-one, you can't make me!"

"Oh yes I can, I can cut you off!"

"Dad, we're barely friends, we can't get married!"

"You will!"

"I don't know why I even called you, I knew you'd be like this. This call is probably wasting your precious time, anyway." Logan spat out before hanging up.

Karen entered the room, "How'd it go?"

"He wants us to get married."

"Well, we're not, so he can forget about that."

"Would it be that bad?"

"Yes! We barely tolerate each other as it is."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Whatever, we can't get married."

"I know."

"Good."

"So, your turn."

"About that, I was thinking that we don't tell my parents."

"You have to."

"No, I don't. Logan, I haven't seen them for two and a half years!"

"I had to tell Mitchum, you have to tell Sheila and Paul."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"This isn't getting us very far. Call them."

"Make me."

"Okay." He grabbed an open phone book from Karen and dialled a number, "Hi, Sheila, right? This is Logan Huntzberger, I've got Karen here, let me pass you over."

Karen narrowed her eyes and mouthed 'God to hell' before grabbing the phone, "Hi, mom."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"So, where do you want the ceremony?"

"In America."

"Wanna narrow it down a little, mom?"

"In Conneticut."

"In Stars Hollow?"

"I guess that could be good."

"Good, now we're getting somewhere. Do you want it in the church?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe for the church, how about the gazebo?"

"How many times must I repeat: Gazeblah?"

"No for the gazebo. The inn?"

"Ooh, I like that! And my parents would hate it!"

"Nothing but positives there, so yes for the inn?"

"I think so."

"So, I assume Sookie's catering."

"Naturally."

"And flowers?"

"Lilies?"

"Not roses?"

"I don't know, I'll check the flower place out with you later?"

"Sure."

"And for invitations, I-"

"Already done. Same quote as the Max invitations, less girly background." She handed a piece of paper to her mom.

"Ooh, I like these, I'll just have to run all of this past Luke."

"Doesn't he know that he's not allowed to have a say in the plans?"

"Sookie tried to tell him."

"Well, he's going to have to get used to not having a say in anything, he's marrying a Gilmore for God's sakes."

"I'll break it to him gently."

"Because that really is your forte."

"Okay, okay, don't attack the mommy."

"Whatever. Hey, who's Luke's best man?"

"About that, it's uh, Jess."

"Oh."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Luke, I've noticed you're a little short of help around here."

"That's very big of you, Kirk."

"I though maybe I would offer you my services."

"Get out of here, Kirk."

"I was just trying to help!"

"Why don't you help Taylor?"

"Taylor won't let me help at Doose's since that incident with the string cheese…Man, that was painful!" Kirk said before leaving.

The bell rang again and Luke looked up to see who the newcomer was, "Hey!" he said, going over to hug Jess, "You didn't say you were coming early."

"There was nothing to do back home so I figured I'd come early and give you a hand round here."

"Good, you can ward off Kirk."

Jess let out a chuckle, "So, am I staying upstairs?"

"Yeah,, sre."

"Okay, I guess I'll go unpack."

"Okay, you go do that." Luke waited until Jess had gone upstairs to pick op the phone and dial.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Oh, hi, what's up?"

"Not much, Jess is here early.

"Do you know what 'not much' means?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up, I never know where Rory and Jess stand."

"Neither do I, she doesn't like to talk about it."

"Well, he's here, that's all I called to say."

"Okay, I'll see you later, I've got things to discuss about the wedding."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye, Luke."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

She should've guessed it was going to be Jess, it wasn't exactly going to be TJ, but still she was surprised. She was stupid thinking that she wouldn't see him again, he tended to pop up everywhere these days, but she was hoping it wouldn't be this soon.

But she could deal, she'd have to, she'd be the stronger one, it was the only way to stop hurting.

She heard her mom coming in and, before long, she dropped down onto the couch next to her."

"Hey, where've you been?"

"At Luke's, I-"

"No more! I don't want to hear anything dirty!"

Lorelai giggled, "I wasn't going to say anything like that."

"Well, you never know with you."

"I was just discussing wedding plans."

"Good."

"And I have to run something past you."

"Run it."

"Liz wants to have a big pre family-in-law dinner. You know, you, me, Luke, TJjessLiz, the whole gang."

"Oh, well that sounds fine."

"You sure, you seemed pretty weird about Jess earlier."

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay. I need pizza." She said, getting up."

"I'll be fine." She told herself.

Gggggggggggggggggggggg

He couldn't sleep, those eyes, those glowing blue eyes haunted him. And yet he'd chosen to come early, he had told himself it was because of Luke,, but he knew the real reason.

Oh well, it was only a few weeks, he'd be fine.

"I'll be fine." He told himself.


	15. Fake Australian Cops

Chapter fifteen

Disclaimer: I own nothing and I will shoot anyone who says otherwise because I'm in a bad mood. You've been warned. (Does anyone know where I can find a gun?)

Searching

The horrible sound of the alarm clock woke Rory up. She looked at it, decided she didn't have the energy to turn it off properly, and thrust it to the floor. The ringing ceased.

It was settled, dinner would be on Friday. Rory didn't really see why it was really necessary that she make an appearance, but Liz insisted she did and who was she to back out just because she didn't feel like making the effort. Because that was it, she was tired, she didn't want to make the effort, nothing to do with Jess at all.

Lorelai interrupted her thoughts, "Hun, can we go to Luke's? I'm experiencing severe caffeine deprivation."

"Okay, I'll stay here."

"Come on, you've got to help me annoy Luke. Plus, Luke junior gives you coffee when you come with no argument, so you can make him give me coffee, too."

"Really, I'd rather stay here."

"What's going on with you and Jess?"

"Nothing."

"It must be bad if you're passing up coffee."

"It's fine, I'm fine."

"Then come, you have to face him before the wedding or you'll feel weird walking down the aisle."

"I'd rather have the thirty seconds of weirdness."

"Too bad, because I'm going and," she grabbed Rory's blanket, "I have you comforter, so get up, get dressed, we're going to Luke's."

Rory glared at her mother's retreating back.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"I'm really not hungry, I can just go wait by the gazebo, I'll-"

"You're coming in." Lorelai stated, firmly..

"You don't treat your other daughters like this."

"That's because they'd go to Luke's with me."

"Fine." Rory said, entering.

She scanned the room as discreetly as possible. She breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't there.

"Luke! I need coffee!"

"Yeah! What she said!" Rory added.

"You know, the place is packed, I don't have time to argue about this, here you go." He said, pouring out two cups of coffee.

"What? No argument? Rory, did you hear?"

"I heard."

"I don't know how to take this."

"Dramatically, naturally."

"I can't drink this!"

"There it is!"

"I didn't earn it!"

"Just drink it."

"But I need to make an effort!"

"Fine," Rory said, snatching Lorelai's mug and gulping down the untouched coffee, "it'll be real hard to drink it now."

"Hey! Luke I want another one!"

"What? You just had one!"

"Rory drank it."

"Rory?"

"I don't know what she's talking about." Rory piped in, smiling.

"No more coffee."

"But, but-"

"No more."

Lorelai waited until Luke was serving someone else to go behind the counter and pour herself a fresh cup. She took it back to the table and sipped it.

"Aah, a coffee well earned."

"You're crazy."

The bell rang, announcing the presence of Jess.

"What took you so long? This place is busy."

"Taylor kept harassing me."

"What now?"

"He wants you to put up decorations."

"Doesn't he ever give up?"

"I think he will once someone's actually gone and killed him."

"Luke! We need refills!" Lorelai interrupted.

"No more coffee."

"In fact, why don't you just leave the pot over here."

"Jess, deal with them."

Rory who'd been steadily sinking into her seat became very interested in the table.

"Refills?"

"Yes, for me and the shrinking person across from me." Lorelai answered, making Rory redden slightly.

He poured them out some more coffee, smirking as he did so.

Rory looked up and caught Jess' eye for a second, but then Luke called him over to another table and the contact was lost.

"See, that wasn't so bad, now you just need to re-master the ability of speech and you're golden."

Rory glared at her mom, "Shut up."

"Oh my God, that was quick, well done, you always were a fast learner."

"Shut up!"

"Okay, okay, but you are very mockable."

Rory fixed her mom with another glare.

"You know, your face can freeze like that."

"It was your idea to come here in the first place, I should just leave."

"Come on, Rory, I'm just teasing, don't you want pancakes?"

"I guess."

"Don't be so sulky, he'll probably be over here again soon, he keeps staring at you."

"What?"

"Fine, act innocent, but you're looking at him, too."

"I repeat, _what_?"

"I may be a bit vague in the morning, but I'm not blind."

"Luke! Can I get some pancakes please? And a sedative."

"Now, now, don't be mean."

"Pancakes coming up." Luke said, from behind the counter.

"And the sedative?"

"Is saved for Taylor."

"Ha!" Lorelai said, triumphantly.

"Rats."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"She's coming to visit."

"So?"

"I blame you." Karen said, throwing the phone back at Logan.

"Pick something softer to throw at me next time."

"What, like a knife?"

"How about no throwing at all?"

"Come, now, Huntzberger, where's the fun in that?"

"Exactly."

"Meany. So, we need a plan."

"What? What plan?"

"I was thinking I could be I don't know hiding in the closet and you could tell them I was on a plane to um…Australia."

"Tell who?"

"My parents, of course."

"How'd I explain the move to Australia?"

"You don't, that's when the fake policeman comes in and arrests you for drinking and driving."

"Because that'd make a great first impression."

"Exactly."

"Or, you could not be a coward."

"But then I'd have to see my parents."

"And?"

"No."

"Then have fun in Australia."

"Have fun in jail."

"I thought it was going to be a fake policeman."

"Do you know anyone stupid enough to want to be a fake policeman?"

"As a matter of fact, I do, and he comes from Australia, so he can tell you what it's like there."

"Goody."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

She'd gone for a short walk. A short three hour walk. She'd found herself heading towards the gazebo, she wanted a place to read and she definitely didn't want to go to the bridge.

As she approached, she saw the familiar figure, book in hand. She considered turning back but she'd come too far now and he'd seen her.

"So, I guess both of us avoiding the bridge didn't really work."

"Huh."

"Can you find a different word to repeat? It can still be one syllable, but I'm getting very tired of 'huh'."

"Huh."

"You're a very frustrating person."

"Thanks for that."

"Well, at least that was an improvement."

"Huh."

"There you go, back to square one." A beat, "Are you ever going to talk to me properly? Okay, I messed up, but you've done your fair share of screwing up, too." Jess opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off, "And don't you dare say 'huh'!"

"Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you on the phone."

"Okay."

"So how long are you in town?"

"I'm here 'til Monday. You?"

"Until the wedding."

"Okay." She paused, "I gotta go." She said before leaving, quickly."

Jess sighed and drew a cigarette out of his pocket.


	16. Spillin' The Beans

Chapter sixteen

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Searching

She'd decided to go back to Yale early, the wedding plans were all going underway and she might as well leave and get some extra studying done. It was nothing to do with Jess or so she told herself, she was going back for dinner with him and everyone else on Friday, anyway.

She dropped her bags to the floor and began the complicated sequence of unlocking Paris' door before entering, kicking her bags along in front of her.

"Very graceful." Said Paris.

"Thanks, Paris, I really needed that."

"Hey, Rory." Doyle said, coming out of the bedroom.

"Hello, Doyle. See, that's how normal people greet each other." She observed, looking at Paris.

"Whatever you say, Mary."

"Oh, not again."

"Believe me, it's a different Mary this time."

"Real nice, Paris." She snapped, going into her room.

She dialled a familiar number on her cell, though she hadn't used it in a while.

"Hello?"

"Hi, bride!"

"Hey!" Lane's voice changed from perky to accusatory, "You didn't visit while you were in town!"

"Sorry, I was really busy, mom's wedding preparations and all."

"Okay. Is something up?"

"I, uh, have something I need to get a second opinion on."

"Shoot."

"I kinda, um, slept with Jess."

"Oh my God!"

"And I don't want to ell mom and Jess and I've been avoiding each other and it's been so awkward, I just, I screwed up."

"I don't believe this!"

"So, what do you think?"

"About you and Jess?"

"Yes, about me and Jess."

"About you and Jess having sex?"

"Yes."

"Haven't we had this kind of conversation before?"

"Lane, please, I just need to talk."

"Okay, well, do you love him?"

"I don't know, I definitely still have feelings for him, but I- I don't know."

"Does he love you?"

"I don't know that, either, I avoided him for a while after it happened and I, he seemed hurt when I finally did call."

"Did he call you before?"

"Several times."

"He still loves you."

"Okay, so.."

"I think you should really talk to Lorelai about this, I really don't know what to say."

"Okay, thanks anyway. I promise I'll visit next time I'm in the Hollow."

"'Kay, good luck."

"Thanks, goodbye."

"Bye."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"So, you live…here." Sheila said, glancing around Karen's apartment.

"In my home? I think I do, mom."

"Well, you can take better care of this place."

"Sorry, I'm kinda busy trying to grow a person inside of me at the moment, it keeps me a bit occupied."

"Couldn't he help out?" she asked, glaring at Logan.

"I try to help as much as I can." Logan said, uneasily.

"What's that smell?"

"My dinner."

"Oh."

"Well, I think it's a very nice space, Kar." Paul said, sending her a sympathetic look.

"Really? Do you Paul?"

"Do you want a tour of the area?" Logan cut in.

"Okay, I supposed it can't get any worse."

Karen stuck her tongue out at her mother's retreating back.

"I saw that."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"So, the wedding will definitely be in the inn?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Have you told Emily your plans?"

"I'm waiting until I can get some more film for my camera."

Rory laughed, "Okay." She paused, "Listen, mom."

"I'm listening," she said, warily.

"I've got something to tell you…"

Lorelai tensed a bit, "Carry on."


	17. The Feuds Between Family

Chapter seventeen

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Searching

Rory exhaled, heavily, "Ya see, a few weeks ago, something sorta happened with, um, Jess and me."

"Yes?" Lorelai prompted.

"Well, he'd come into my place 'cos, well, I still don't really know why and he was being all broody, but I somehow managed to strike up a conversation with him, but then Karen-"

"Who's Karen?"

"His girlfriend." Rory answered, before continuing, "Karen called and she heard me in the background and she kinda freaked out and broke up with him, so he asked if he could stay the night 'cos he didn't feel like driving home and I said yes and he, he said he'd sleep on the couch but I said he could share the bed, and- "

"Rory, breathe."

"When I woke up, I just looked at him, and…"

"And?"

"I kissed him. But somehow it, uh, turned into…you know."

"Oh, God."

"Mom? Are you mad?"

"Yes, I'm mad, Rory, you just started seeing this guy again, you can't just sleep with him, right off the bat!"

"I know, it was terrible, I-"

"And this is Jess, Rory, the guy that broke your heart by leaving without so much as a goodbye!"

"I know, it just happened-"

"Bull! Things like this don't 'just happen', you have to make them happen, and YOU made this happen!"

"I know, I'm sorry, I-"

"And you waited a few weeks to tell me?"

"That's because you're reacting like this!"

"How do you expect me to react? Do you expect me to congratulate you on a fine choice? Do you expect me to comfort you and go 'There, there, Rory'?"

"No! Just don't be mad, it was just a one time thing, it's no big deal."

"You can't have a one time thing with someone like Jess, he's always going to be around, he's going to be your step cousin! Wow, whole new level of gross."

"Mom, calm down."

"No! Oh my God, I can't even talk about this with you anymore!"

"Mom!"

"Sorry, Rory, goodbye." She said, hanging up.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Karen, I supposed your living situation is…bearable." Sheila admitted, frowning.

"It's a nice place, Kar." Paul said, with a smile.

"Thanks mom, dad."

"And I supposed the father is just about acceptable."

Logan rolled his eyes, before receiving a swift nudge in the gut from Karen, "Thanks, Sheila."

"Okay, so we'll be leaving, then." Sheila said, gesturing for Paul to get her coat, which he did.

"See ya, Kar." Paul said, heading out.

"Goodbye, Karen."

Logan waited until they were out of the apartment and the door was closed, "So, your mom…"

"I told you, she's a bi-"

"She's creepy, but your dad's okay."

"Yep, if my dad hadn't been there, I don't think I could've survived my childhood."

"If your dad hadn't been here, I don't think I could've survived today."

"Aw, Logan, did da wittle old lady scare you?"

"No, wait, what am I saying? Yes."

"And that's why I didn't want to call them."

"Okay, I give, I shouldn't have called."

"Thank you."

"Maybe a carrier pigeon next time…"

"A carrier pigeon, a cannon ball, a speeding bullet, whatever."

"Come on, let's go watch movie, this apartment smells too much of perfume."

"Okay."

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"So, Rory, how's school?" Emily asked as they had dinner.

"Good." Rory said, looking at her dinner plate.

"And Lorelai, how's work?"

"Good." Lorelai replied, doing the same.

"Okay. Well, this is very nice, just us girls, Richard's in Yemen, on business for the next few weeks." Both girls grunted in acknowledgement, "What's wrong with you two?"

"Ask her." Rory said, "She's the one that won't talk to me."

"How can I? You're all the way at Yale, it's not like you answer your calls."

"Yeah, I have these little things called classes, you wouldn't know, you never went to college."

"Rory!" Emily said, "You two will either have to explain to me why you're fighting or be civil to each other for the rest of the evening, which will it be?"

"We were being perfectly civil before, mom."

"Yeah, we were."

"Fine. Lorelai, how're the plans going?"

"What plans?"

"The wedding plans, of course."

"They're going fine, we're having it in the inn."

"Oh." Emily paused, "Don't you think it should be in a place a little…grander?"

"The inn's plenty grand, mom."

"Yes, but still…the very fact that you're marrying the owner of a diner is an embarrassment to the family, but really, you should do it right."

"I am doing it right!"

"Don't raise your voice."

"I have a reason to raise my voice, you've just insulted both my fiancé and my inn!"

"Why do you have to be so dramatic about everything?"

"I'm not being dramatic, I'm just annoyed, mom."

"Fine, congratulations on grabbing yourself a diner owner, congratulations for being the one to propose, congratulations for every little thing to do with this wedding."

"Don't you mean 'best wishes'?" Lorelai corrected, stonily, before storming out, Rory trailing in her wake.

Once they were out of the door, Rory went up to Lorelai, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Are we good?"

"Yeah, hun, we're good."


	18. You're Both Stupid

Chapter eighteen

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Searching

"Okay, as maid of honour, I declare the bachelorette party begun!" Rory cried, as she, Lane, Miss Patty, Babette, Sookie and Lorelai stepped out of a cab, "Here's the plan, we lovely bachelorettes are going to three different bars, in between which we shall be going to three different movies in three different movie theatres. Now, ladies, our aim is to get kicked out of each one of these, so, Miss Patty, you need to go overboard with harassment of staff."

"Please, honey, that's a given." Miss Patty chimed in.

"Good, Babette, you need to keep talking, loud as possible, especially during movies."

"Sure thing, sugar!"

"Good. Lane and Sookie…just follow mom's example."

"Thanks for that, kid."

"Okay, ladies, let's go." Rory said, as everyone else followed her into the bar.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

All of the girls were slouched on big red, for their third movie of the night, they were all fairly drunk, Babette was yacking away, Patty was murmuring something seductive to Kirk, Lorelai was looking pretty worn out from her two alternative dances to 'Material Girl' earlier on in the evening and Lane and Sookie were passed out.

Lorelai nudged Rory and pointed at the screen, "Don't those guys look like Luke?"

Rory squinted at the screen and tilted her head, "I think they're a woman."

"Oh yeah. Don't those spinning women look like Luke?"

"No, they're all Billie Piper."

"Fine. Doesn't Billie Piper look like Luke?"

"No."

Kirk let out a squeak as Miss Patty pinched his butt, "That's it, you girls, out!"

"Yes!" Rory squealed, "Ladies, you've been great, now you can all go home and think about the headache to come, tomorrow!"

"Lorelai, the girl didn't drink enough." Miss Patty said.

"Never mind." Lorelai slurred, shaking Sookie and Lane awake, "Come on ladies, home, because I'm getting married tomorrow!"

"Come on mom, let's go get some coffee at Luke's." Rory said, dragging her mom away.

"But Luke's is closed."

"You're his fiancé, you should be able to wake him up at two in the morning."

"Oh yeah!" she said, picking up a few rocks and throwing them up at the window.

Eventually, Luke stuck his head out and yelled, "What are you doing?"

"We want coffee! What are you doing?"

"I was trying to sleep off the eight glasses of beer that TJ forced down my throat."

"You're pathetic!"

"And you're drunk!"

"Exactly, so I need coffee!"

"Give it to her Luke, she'll never shut up, otherwise!" Rory yelled up.

"Fine, Jess, get up, open the door."

Rory shrank back as she heard the familiar grumbling of Jess, once woken up. Even when drunk, Lorelai sensed Rory's discomfort, "Come on, we need coffee, forget about him." Were her words of wisdom, as she dragged Rory to the now open door.

"We want coffee." Rory said, in a small voice.

"We need coffee!" Lorelai corrected.

"Bachelorette party?" Jess asked.

"Yep." Rory replied, dragging Lorelai to a seat.

"Rory was stupid, she only had two drinks."

"I'm the co-ordinator and designated driver, I needed to stay reasonably sober."

"Stupid."

"Keep saying that tomorrow morning when I tell Luke that you compared him to Billie Piper."

"Fine. Jess, how come you're sober?"

"Designated driver."

"You're both stupid, that's probably why you still love each other." She paused, "Oh God!" she cried, running to the bathroom, her hand over her mouth leaving Rory and Jess in awkward silence.

Jess opened his mouth to say something, but Rory got there first, "I better go see how she is." She blurted out, before darting away.

Jess rolled his eyes and pulled out a book.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Hi." Rory said, in the morning, coming out of her room.

"Ow." Lorelai replied, drained of emotion.

"What's wrong with 'hi'?"

"It wasn't the word you said, it was the way you said it, all high pitched and annoying like."

"Sorry, hi." She said, in the deepest voice she could muster, "Better?"

"Monumentally."

"Good."

"So, what d'you want to do?"

"Go to Luke's."

"You can't."

"Why?"

"'Cos he's probably getting ready, 'cos he didn't drink twenty vodka shots."

"Oh."

"Do you want to go over to the inn and start decorating?"

"I want more aspirin."

"Well, that can be arranged." Rory said, getting up to get some.

"Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"Did I do anything extremely embarrassing yesterday?"

"You sung material girl."

"Oh."

"Twice."

"Double oh."

"And you said that me and Jess were in love with each other."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be, you were drunk." She said, firmly, setting down an aspirin and some water in front of her.

"Okay."

"Mom?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"You're getting married."

Lorelai smiled, "I'm getting married."


	19. The Wedding

A/n: This is the last chapter, but an epilogue and sequel are on the way!

Chapter nineteen

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Searching

It was finally here.

She'd waited so long for this and it was finally here, her wedding day. She'd thought it was never going to happen, what with the mythical June 3rd and all and yet here it was. She just wished she didn't have such a headache.

Rory had left a couple of minutes ago having done her hair and make up, insisting that if Lorelai was anymore unorganised she would never get out of bed in the morning but she had finally managed to banish her daughter just before the ceremony. She just wanted a minute alone, searching.

She was searching for that feeling that she got the last times she had almost got married, the feeling the wanted out, the feeling that made her run away both times, though Emily and Richard played a part in why she ran away the first time. It took her a while to realise it wasn't there, this is what she wanted, more than anything, she was happy.

Rory suddenly entered the room, "Mom, we need you out there in two minutes."

"Okay, hun."

"You okay?"

Lorelai smiled, "Yeah, I am."

"Good." Rory said before going out again, leaving Lorelai to make her final adjustments.

As she walked out she caught Jess' eye and they linked arms and walked down the aisle towards Luke, who was looking rather uncomfortable in his tux.

Rory tried to maintain her smile while trying not to let her awkwardness show and trying not to blush at the feeling the contact with Jess gave her at the same time. They finally reached the altar and broke apart as Rory breathed a sigh of relief. She watched Richard walk Lorelai down the aisle, smiling genuinely, her mom looked so happy. When they drew level, Richard backed away and Lorelai stood to face Luke and they started reciting the vows.

Lorelai started, "Luke, during the eight years we were friends, I saw you as my rock, the most dependable guy in my life, more than a father to Rory, everything a best friend should be and more. A couple of years ago, you showed me that you could be more than that to me, and I fell in love with you. You became far more than a best friend to me, you understood me, you loved me, you treated Rory as your own and you were always loyal to me even when I was at my most stubborn. I love you, Luke, and I will never stop loving you and now I'm going to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you and I couldn't be more happy."

Luke cleared his throat, "You know as well as I do that I'm not the best guy for expressing emotions but I know one thing, which is that I love you, I never didn't love you. Everyone else saw it, I knew it the day you first set foot in my diner, you are an amazing woman and I don't know what I did to deserve to marry you, and now that I am I'm thinking I'm the luckiest guy on earth. I will always be there for you as your friend, as your husband as whatever you want me to be."

Rory tried to blink tears out of her eyes as the wedding proceeded.

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

The reception was huge, it was spread out throughout the town square and everyone was there. Rory looked over to the gazebo to see Lorelai and Luke dancing happily, as if no one else was there. She grinned to herself and went over to get more cake.

Her eyes kept scanning the area for Jess, but she gave up the ninth time, deciding he wasn't there and sitting down resignedly on a bench with a book and a piece of cake. A few minutes later, she heard someone sit down next her.

"I'm sorry, is my wedding party boring you?"

"Not at all." Rory said, looking up at her mom.

"Then what's with the book, lady?"

"I was just waiting for my lovely mother to tear herself away from her newly wed and offer me but a few minutes of her precious time."

"Shucks, darlin'."

"Tell me if you see her anywhere."

"Hey!"

"And what are you doing over here anyway, I thought you'd be over at the bar by now."

"First you verbally disown me, now you're calling me an alcoholic?"

"Oh, the troubles of a single mom no longer single."

"It's awful, isn't it?"

"So, you excited?"

"About what?"

"You're going to Paris!"

"Oh yeah, I am, aren't I?"

"Yep, which should be interesting considering you don't know a word of French."

"I know bonjour, isn't that good enough?"

"Oh yes, that'll be all that's required of you."

"Glad you see things my way."

Rory saw something, someone in the corner of her eye and looked over towards Luke's and there he was, "Mom, I've got something to take care of, I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Okay, where you going?"

"I'm just gonna go grab a coffee."

"Okay, see ya in a minute then."

"Yeah, bye." Rory said, getting up and heading for Luke's.

Jess' head shot up as he heard the ringing of the bell, he hadn't expected anyone to come in today, what with the wedding and all. He looked back down again when he saw who it was who entered.

"Hey, Jess." Rory said, entering the diner.

"Hi."

"How come you're not out there?"

"Not really-"

"-your thing, I know, but I just thought, since you were at the wedding…" she trailed off, "Are you helping out here until Luke gets back, then?"

"Look, Rory, I'm not really interested in your small talk."

"Oh." Rory paused, "Can I talk to you upstairs?"

Jess rolled his eyes, "Fine." He followed her upstairs, "Yeah?"

"I know you're probably still mad at me but I was stupid then, and scared and I just don't want to leave when we're on bad terms."

"Why not? We weren't exactly the best of friends before I saw you in that bar, why's it so important to you that we leave on good terms?"

"Because…"

"Yes?"

"I'm just sick of us fighting."

"And that's it."

"I- I don't know."

"Okay, do you want to come back when you do know?"

"Jess, stop, please, just say we're friends."

"I seem to hear that a lot from you lately, why should I continue this cycle that you seem so fond of?"

"You don't have to completely isolate me from you!"

"Look, there's no point in this talk, we are what we are, I'll go back to Philadelphia in a couple of weeks and then we don't have to see each other anymore."

"No."

"Why?"

"Just, no, okay?"

"Look, this isn't going to change anything, I should-"

"I love you."

"What?"

"I love you, I don't want you to leave."

Jess stared at her from a minute, before closing the space between them with a fierce kiss. Rory responded, happily, but once again he pulled away. She raised her eyebrows.

"I love you too, by the way."

"Yeah, I kinda got that." She said, laughing before kissing him again.


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

Disclaimer: I own Karen and Kate

Searching

"Is she asleep?" Logan whispered as he crept into the apartment that he now shared with his girlfriend.

"Yeah, she only just zonked out." Karen answered, matching Logan's volume.

"Good," he said leaning down to give Karen a quick peck on the lips, "my parents want to visit this weekend."

"Oh boy." Karen muttered.

"What?"

"So do mine."

"Oh boy."

"Do you think if we leave them alone in a room together for over an hour, the world will implode?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm willing to try."

"Good. How was work?"

"Boring."

"Then, how about tomorrow, I go to work an laze around all day and you stay and look after Kate?"

"I don't think they allow that."

"Shoot."

"So, you wanna watch a movie?"

"I only just got Kate to sleep."

"Hold on." Logan said, carrying Kate through to her bedroom/playroom.

Karen smiled, who knew that one day, she'd be living with a rich blonde, heir to the Huntzberger fortune? She didn't. They'd gotten together a little after Karen was born, they'd been watching a movie and he kissed her, completely out of the blue and it just took off from there.

She continued to grin as he came back and slumped down on the sofa beside her, arm around her. She was content again, it wasn't perfect but hey, she thought leaning her head against Logan's shoulder, it was pretty close.

Ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Hey!" Rory said, trying to put her shoe on while hopping out of her room, "We're gonna be late."

"So?" Jess replied, typing away at his laptop.

"So…it's mom and Luke's anniversary and we have to be there on time."

"Thanks for that, I didn't hear it the first million times you said it."

"And yet you're still not acting upon it."

"Huh."

She moved in between him and the laptop and gave him a passionate kiss. While he responded she scooped the laptop up and pulled away, "Now fix your tie and be ready in five." She said, heading back towards her room with the laptop.

"Manipulator!" he called after her.

"As if you don't love it." She retorted, looking over her shoulder before closing the door behind her.

He smirked to himself as he straightened his tie and grabbed some snacks and CDs for the ride.

They'd moved into an apartment in New Haven a few monthes ago, they'd found one just the right price. Given, it was the tiniest apartment either of them had ever seen, but it was still there's and they loved it. Besides, they liked living in close quarters.

Rory emerged, once again, her hair fixed and some new earrings picked out, "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Good, let's go."

Gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Rory asked her mom, who was now four monthes pregnant.

"Nancy."

"We're not calling our child Nancy." Said Luke, coming out of the kitchen.

"You already Vito'd Lorelai!"

"Don't you think that would be a little bit confusing?"

"No!" Lorelai and Rory argued, simultaneously.

"Don't argue with them Luke, it never does any good." Jess advised from the sofa.

"No Lorelai, no Nancy."

"And does he listen to me? No." Jess said, rolling his eyes.

"What about Kimberly?"

"No." Rory and Luke say simultaneously.

"What now?"

"'Hi, I'm Kimberly, can I take your order?'"

"Thanks for that, kid."

"Luke, don't you have any suggestions?"

"None that won't get laughed at."

"Oh, come on Luke, when have we ever laughed at you?" Lorelai cooed.

"Don't answer that question, it'll take too long." Jess piped in again.

"They laugh at you as well."

"I know."

"Aww, don't be hurt, it's only because you're so darn adorable." Rory said, going over to Jess and pinching his cheek teasingly.

"You too Luke, won't you marry me? Oops, too late."

Luke gave Jess an imploring look, "Is there an off button?"

"Haven't located one yet."

"Aww, come one guys, you know we love you really." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, but you're just so teasable."

"Says the woman who uses teasable as a word."

Rory stuck her tongue out, "Meany."

"I need a beer." Luke announced, getting up.

"Fine, flaunt the fact that you can have alcohol!" Lorelai cried.

"I'm gonna get more champagne." Announced Rory, getting up, too.

"Traitor!"

"Never mind mom, you only have five monthes to go." Comforted Rory as she came back with her glass.

"And this is supposed to make me feel better how?"

"Don't ask me, I'm hopped up on champagne, boy, it tastes good."

Lorelai glared at Rory, "Luke, she's being mean!"

"What?" Luke asked, coming back into the room.

"Luke, you need to start giving her coffee again, she's becoming more and more whiny."

"Hey!" Lorelai complained, "But, yeah, I do need coffee."

"Our child will not be a caffeine addict."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Exactly."

"Fun sucker."

Lorelai looked over at Rory and Jess. They both had cheesy grins on their faces and Rory was muttering something in his ear. They were happy, her and Luke were happy. Jeez, how did their lives end up like the ending of some cheap Hollywood movie?


End file.
